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Wednesday, 19 September 2012

Lincolnshire fire chiefs are reminding households with open fires
and wood burning stoves how important it is to have chimneys checked and
swept to reduce the risk of fire.

Chimney Fire Safety Week runs from September 21 to 27, now being
the time of year to get chimneys ready for the colder months ahead.

Cut the risk of chimney fires by having yours cleaned

With a growing number of households now using open fires
and wood burners, Debbie Robinson, Lincolnshire's deputy community fire
safety manager, says: "In order to keep you and your family safe from
fire, you need to take necessary steps such as ensuring your chimney is
swept regularly, depending upon what fuel you burn, and I would urge all
householders to have a working smoke alarm in their home.
"Over the past year we have attended 146 fires which started in a
chimney, five of which developed into house fires, and many could have
been prevented had suitable precautions been taken.
"On one occasion the property owner was alerted early to a fire
by the smoke alarms that we had fitted only a few weeks earlier which
allowed her to raise the alarm very quickly."